Exploring and Sharing the World!
Cemeteries always have a draw. Not quite sure if it is purely the inclination to the morbid or something else but, when I drove past this cemetery in Moldova (on my way back to Chisinau after visiting Soroca in the north) and noticed the colorful and unique crosses, I went back to get a quick walk around and snap a few pictures. I love how the dark skies helped make a nice contrast to the color of the crosses.
(Click on the photos to enlarge and step through them.)
When planning my trip to Moldova last year, I really did not have a good idea of what there was to see or do. I went with the recommendations proposed by a person I hired to show me around. I wrote about the very unique wineries I explored, about the churches and monasteries I visited, and about the country’s capital, Chisinau. What I have not written about yet is the trip to the northeast corner of the country to visit Soroca, a town on the border with Ukraine with less than 30,000 inhabitants but lots of history.
The history of the town seems to go to the Middle Ages (it was a Genoese post – who knew those Genoese got that far!) and it has been at the crossroads of many military campaigns. It also has a large gypsy (Romani) population and it is known as the capital of the Romani in Moldova (more on them later).
I really enjoyed my visit to this town for three reasons:
1. The old fort
2. The houses on the hill overlooking the town
3. Viewing Moldova and Ukraine with the Dniester in between.
Off-the-beaten path twice over (Moldova by itself is already off-the-beaten path and within it, this town is off-the-beaten path even for Moldova!), this town is well worth checking out.
The Soroca Fort, or Cetatea Soroca, facing the Dniester
As far as forts go, this one is not monumental but I enjoyed the views from it and, even more, seeing its construction which seemed semi-rustic (which makes sense considering its age). Seeing the details of the stonework, clearly no one needed all the stones to be perfectly aligned or anything like that. The details on the windows and the stones on the inner walls all show really interesting detail of how it was built.
Interesting detail on a fort wall, and how the stones were set
Details of the windows’ construction
The inner courtyard of the fort
You can go up and see the city, or the houses on the hills of Soroca, or look at the fields of rural Ukraine across the Dniester but more on the latter later (ooh, that just came out like that – he he).
That’s Ukraine over yonder
The town is known as the Romani capital of Moldova for a reason. The hills overlooking the town are home to most of them. And boy, do they live it up up there! Their houses are small mansions, most of them seem to be a never-ending work-in-progress. The guy showing me around Moldova wondered out loud: how could they afford building these houses since most of them did not work. I am not sure what he was implying or had in mind but can only guess. All I can say is that the houses were some of the best I saw in Moldova in terms of “solidity” and the architectural grandeur they seem to aim for.
Big ole houses in Soroca’s uphill
Grand staircase!
Another grand house!
A house with a view from the back: the center of town below and the Dniester and Ukraine beyond. I’d take that house if I lived in Soroca!
Detail of the roof of a mansion. This type of metal roof is common in Moldova in general
There was something interesting about being in Soroca, a town on the Moldovan side of the river, and then pastoral-looking Ukraine on the opposite bank of the river. I was tempted to ask for a little boat to the make the crossing but there was no time. Plus no telling what sort of border problems I would find – if there was any border police to begin with. I always have wondered who minds every meter of a border… But I digress. In any case, before reaching Soroca we went to a lookout with a tall religious tower atop it. It is when I first saw Ukraine and where the final two photos were taken.
Two boys and Ukraine
Moldova and I to the left. Ukraine to the right. Any questions?
Soroca was the sort of unexpected that I so enjoy in my travels, be it to a new part of my own hometown, or halfway around the world!
In deciding to go to Moldova, the last thing that occurred to me was that there was a strong wine sector such that it’d be worthwhile to plan on a wine tasting tour of the local wines. I had NO idea Moldova made any amount of wine! A month before the trip came into my radar, I would have laughed; I mean, wine countries are typically thought of as France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Chile and a few others. I was to re-learn the lesson to look for the unexpected in my travels such as olive oil ice cream or wine from Michigan.
As I mailed back and forth with the local guide I had found on what could be an itinerary for a 2-3 day visit, he mentioned visiting wineries. As I talked about the possibility of this trip, a fellow travel blogger mentioned that her husband had been to Moldova and he had reported enjoying the wineries he had visited. Huh? Mmm… Well, maybe I should check them out…
In doing some research, Moldova ranked 22nd in the list of wine producing countries but its production is mainly for export since the Middle Ages!! Moldova was the largest wine producing region in the Russian empire. I guess as the Ukraine was the breadbasket of the Soviet Union, Moldova was the wine barrel of Russia! (Who knew, right??) Sadly, the two World Wars, among all the destruction, destroyed the wine industry which only got re-started during the 1950s.
Moldova grows grape varietals that are local or from the region, as well as varietals introduced from France around the 19th century (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.).
Chateau Vartely was on my first day’s schedule. It was going to also be where we would have lunch. Besides the building with the restaurant and rooms for events, and besides the winemaking and storage buildings, Chateau Vartely has accommodations on offer, both rooms and VIP apartments with all the amenities of a hotel/resort – probably a great idea if one is planning to sample lots of wines! Vartely is located on a hillside which offers a great view of the land around. It was a real treat to take in the views while enjoying lunch. As you can, the weather was perfect. I wondered if these lands could talk, what stories it would tell of wars past…
We were rather hungry so we proceeded first to eat. We chose to sit outside on a large balcony that overlooked some of the property. A very pleasant place to sit down for a leisurely lunch.
This lunch was my first meal in Moldova but it would not differ much from the meal I had the night before in Iasi, Romania. That makes sense as both countries are very similar in culture and history. My meal started with a simple yet delicious broth – just the right plate to open up the appetite!
Then, for my main course, I took the advice of Dumitru, my guide (and a super guy), and went with the mamaliga along with pork (nothing better for a Cuban!). Mamaliga is polenta and, as you can see in the picture below, it is accompanied by sour cream and sheep cheese (a bit salty but I loved it). Here it was also accompanied by a small serving of eggs. The whole thing was well put together and simply delicious!
After the lunch, we toured the wine-making facilities. Nothing new to me in the tour itself as I have visited wineries elsewhere but an important part of a winery visit. From there, we moved to the wine tasting rooms – my playground! One of these rooms was full of bottles of wines from all over the world for those interested in comparing the Chateau’s wines with “comparables” from other parts of the world (the World Collection Room). I was not there to do that as I wanted to maximize tasting Moldovan wines so we moved on to the other room.
In this tasting, I was introduced to the Feteasca Alba grape that yields a nice dry white wine that is quite fruity and fresh – a white wine I can drink! The Feteasca Regala and the Merlot also merit a mention as I enjoyed them too – especially because I took the leftover from the tasting with me <grin>…
Chateau Vartely was a very pleasant experience from the food to the wine, though I have to say that the food was simply superb. It is a newer winery that combines the wine experiencing with tourism but done well and in a beautiful setting.
Milestii Mici is in a category of its own when it comes to wineries – anywhere that I’ve been (Stellenbosch, Bordeaux, Hunter Valley, Sonoma, Tuscany, Mendoza, …). Let me begin with what I saw first once I got to the place as we drove in: I saw entrances at the bottom of the hill to my right. The entrances looked like the entrances to small tunnels – very intriguing… More on that as this write-up progresses…
My first stop out of the car was the amazing little garden area near the store and main offices. Besides the pretty flowers and all that stuff relevant to a well-designed garden, what caught my eye were the two fountains in the midst of the flowers… One for red and one for white…
Is anyone else having heart palpitations looking at this ungodly scene???
There ARE more sober pictures of me from this trip. Somewhere. OK, let me get past the garden, I have quenched my thirst…
On to the store, which is built into a tunnel itself. It not only sells the wine, but also shows a few of the tools used in older times to make the wine.
So on we go and we get back in the car to continue our tour of Milestii Mici. Yes, back in the car so we can enter the tunnels of this incredible winery. You see, this winery is using the tunnels dug up when limestone was being mined here to build all those “lovely” Soviet buildings and other structures with better looks and uses.
To be more precise, this winery has 160 miles (250 km) worth of tunnels out of which 75 miles (120 km) are currently being used to store over 2 million bottles of wine, making Milestii Mici the world’s biggest wine cellar. (My basement cellar pales a little.) These limestone tunnels keep a constant humidity and temperature throughout the year. Bottles are cellared here for DECADES before they are sold. And many an important collector actually pay to store their wines here (not just their Milestii Mici wines).
“99 bottles of wine in the wall, 99 bottles of wine. Take one down, and pass it around… 98 bottles of wine in the wall…”” (never mind, I WON’T pass it around – it’s mine to keep!)
We drove along the road (another tunnel) and got off at different points to see the different areas of the wine cellars. One of these had a false wall that looks like the ones above built in the 1980s. See, Gorbachev decided then that alcohol was a problem in the good ole Soviet Union and banned alcohol <the reader gasps>. The folks in this winery held a treasure trove of good wine so they built this fake wall so they could hide all these bottles which otherwise would have been destroyed by zealots.
After exploring the tunnels and great use, finally, the great moment came: the wine tasting!! I could have done a lunch paired with the different wines but, alas, my time was short that afternoon as I had a plane to catch to return to Romania.
So, a simple wine tasting was it for me. My favorite: the dessert wine – Margaritar.
I love dessert wines (such as Sauternes) and this one delivered! I waited until I was in duty free at the airport to buy some as I was not clear on security requirements/constraints at the airport so I did not feel like risking buy a bottle to lose it at the airport…
When I decide to open that dessert wine from Milestii Mici, I will remember that amazing winery with one of the most unique wine cellars I have ever seen! If you make it to Moldova, do NOT miss Milestii Mici and make sure you also check out Chateau Vartely and other wineries in Moldova!
If you are looking for an unusual destination (at least for those of us who live far from Eastern Europe), I highly recommend Moldova for a true off-the-beaten-path set of experiences, one of which is a good wine tour around their finest wineries. Of course, the massive underground wine cellar should also make it to a “things to see” list in Moldova!!
I received no services or products for free or at a discount in exchange for this piece. I write out of my pure enjoyment of the experience and the great discoveries I made in Moldova!
Having added Moldova to my Romania trip itinerary , Chisinau (pronounced KISH-now), its capital, had to be central to the visit as it is the main town in this country of approximately 3.6 million people (Chisinau itself has around 750,000 inhabitants).
The city, which was founded in the 1430s, has a complex history since it was at the crossroads of various empires. It is said that it had the largest proportion of Jewish population in Europe in 1900 at 43% of the city’s population. The city was nearly destroyed in 1940 when the Soviets took over and the city was hit by an earthquake, and, later by Nazi attacks and occupation. I saw old structures but not many that pre-date this period (to my untrained eye). The Jewish population, as in other places, was wiped out to a good extent during the Nazi occupation.
City Hall, finished in 1901 but re-built after WW II due to the damage it sustained, is one of the best architectural pieces in town, built in Italian Gothic style.
Of course, a lot of buildings I saw are post-WW II. Many of the big style government buildings, apartment bloc buildings, and hotels were built in that post-war period, with the implications to architecture that that entails…
Parliament Building was damaged during demonstrations in 2009 and is under repair. It used to house the Central Committee of the Communist Party during Soviet times.
I enjoy looking at the architecture in a city to get a mental image of the place and how it evolved. Clearly, history has been wiped out a good bit by war, earthquakes, and the Soviet regime. But I also like to see what people do. Unfortunately, a countryside-heavy itinerary kept me mostly out of Chisinau. Also, I didn’t find any cafés in the central part of the city as I walked around so it was harder to sit back and watch life go by (well, I could have sat on a sidewalk but not the same!). Still, I saw life go by in its own way.
I did visit the main park in the city center, named after the national hero Stefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great), which definitely seems to be popular with locals with its trees, lawn areas, fountains and the Alley of the Classics (with sculptures of literature and political greats for Moldovans).
My guide asked me asked me when we met “why Moldova?”. I answered because “it’s there and I wanted to see what it was like.” Yet, I fully realize that to really get to know a country and its people, it takes a lot more than a short visit and the sightseeing. I was fortunate to have a great guide, Dumitru, (whom I’d recommend for anyone traveling there!) for 3 days who shared a lot with me about Moldova and Moldovans, about the times before and after the fall of the USSR, about the country’s current challenges, about the business environment, and about the hidden treasures this small country has to offer for those willing to take the extra steps to get to see it.
I had no idea when I first thought of going to Moldova, on an off the beaten path whim, that I would see a treasure trove of church and monastery architecture. But as I researched a possible visit to this ex Soviet republic (one of the many ex USSR republics that became independent countries in the early 1990s), I learned that was exactly what I was going to see in Moldova: an incredible collection of restored religious buildings reclaimed from the inhuman Communist philosophy that ruled many lands and peoples in this part of the world. I was quite curious to see how they would look and how were they impacted by decades of officially-atheistic Soviet communism as a child of exiles from Communism from another part of the world (Cuba, yet another victory of the tyranny of the proletariat against human beings, if I am allowed to just say that!).
Moldova, as a Soviet Socialist Republic, was a place where the Communist system tried to take (or actually took) man’s humanity out of the equation, out of the value of a human life in support, instead, of a “system” – and part of that strategy required removing the strength and hope that faith can provide human beings. Churches and monasteries were either destroyed or severely damaged precisely because they supported human life value / dignity over a false promise of “equality” (equality only for those in power, as with many systems…). But I digress… those religious structures that were not totally destroyed were re-purposed as mental hospitals, children’s institutions, etc. and the religious communities were broken up.
It is evident that Moldova is trying to shed its Soviet past in the ways that are possible for a small economy that is not in the EU and that is talked about as one of the poorest, if not the poorest, in Europe. For example, roads are being re-built in and around the capital, Chisinau (Chișinău). The airport is modern and well-prepared to receive (or send off) the visitor. But what I stood out to me was how churches and monasteries have been worked on so carefully to restore them to their spiritual and physical greatness, even if not all buildings in the complexes are completely restored yet (it does take time and money…).
Visiting these churches and monasteries does not require an appointment nor are there entrance fees. Simply walk in. BUT, do remember to dress appropriately!
After I show you these amazing places in the next section, I have a conclusion I would like to share…
This small and beautiful monastery, which reminded me of the Greek isles due to its sharp blue and white colors, was the focus of my photo of the week post earlier this week but it is worthy of including here as it was such a gem. The monastery is about 14 km from Calarasi town which in turn is about 50 km from Chisinau. It is also a convenient monastery to see if visiting the Curchi monastery.
This monastery (pronounced COOR-key) is considered one of the most beautiful and famous monastery complex in Moldova with 2 large churches (and other small ones I did not get to see) and many other spaces and buildings in its footprint. It was founded around the 1770s. Between the 1950s and the early 2000s it did not operate as a monastery though now it has again become a monastery for men. Lots of visitors/pilgrims the day I went though it was a weekday. And strict rules as no photography was allowed within the churches.
The main church, painted in bright red, is the Church of the Mother of God and was built in the late 19th century. It is a beautiful building up close but even more impressive as one approaches the monastery by road.
Church of the Mother of God
St. Dumitru Church
This monastery, one of the oldest in Moldova dating to the 1420s, is just 40 km away from Chisinau. It is one of the most important ones because rulers, including the most important one, Stefan cel Mare, helped build it. The two main churches, St. George and St. Nicholas, were built in the 1840s and 1900s, respectively.
Chisinau as a city has a good number of churches (for views of Chisinau itself, check my post on it here). Right in the city center there are a few worth checking out.
1. Near the Hotel National lies the St. Great Martyr Tiron Cathedral, quite a beautiful structure built in the 1850s.
Schimbarea La Fata Church
2. The Transfiguration Cathedral (or the Church of Schimbarea La Fata in Moldovan) sits next to the Ministry of Agriculture. It has been beautifully restored inside. It’d be easy to pass it up given the size of nearby Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity but don’t miss visiting it.
3. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity, however, is the most imposing of the churches I saw in Chisinau. It is a Russian Orthodox Church built around the 1830s. It, and its front tower and outdoor baptistry, sit in a large square facing the Triumphal Arch and, beyond, the imposing (though unimaginatevely architected) Government House building.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity
The predominant religion in Moldova is Orthodox Christianity. In Orhei, a town north of Chisinau with about 25,000 inhabitants, I visited the small Catholic Church. We asked the attendant what percent of the town’s people were Catholic and she replied: “4% – but working on it.” What a spirit!
The town had small Orthodox churches but because of our itinerary/schedule, I could not explore except from the car. But they were definitely colorful!
So the renewal I witnessed in Moldova was impressive but even more impressive was seeing the faithful visit these religious places so openly, something that I am sure was impossible (or close to it?) during the decades of Soviet communism. Those images are the ones that really stay with me…
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Pin Moldova’s churches and monasteries to your travel board!
You can find more information about monasteries in Moldova here.
As I prepare to write the story of my visit to the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet socialist republic, I thought this week’s Photo of the Week could be a good initial way to share one of the things that the country has to offer: its monasteries and churches.
The Frumoasa Monastery (which was on our way to the better known and more significant Curchi Monastery) was my first stop after entering Moldova from Romania near Iasi. It is a nun monastery today, as it was for a few years pre-World War II and Soviet communism.
As many monasteries in Moldova, they were severely damaged either intentionally and/or by fire and restored after the fall of communism. Also, as most former monasteries during Soviet communism in Moldova, this one was used for non-religious purposes during that era having served as an orphanage, a school for deaf children, a colony for girls, and even a dancing club for children. Different buildings in the complex were used for different purposes.
While communism severely damaged the original buildings and likely destroyed original architecture, artwork, and documents, the dedication shown post-communism to restore these jewels of Moldova speaks a lot about the Moldovan people, and humans in general: no political system can really remove a people’s faith. Most monasteries I visited had a lot of the faithful -young and old- coming in for prayers.
So my trek to Romania is fast approaching. I shared here about the hike in Romania in support of a local orphanage (donations welcome at www.trekkingforkids.org; mark me as the trekker!). I have been preparing and planning to visit the Alps in Transylvania, made famous (or better known) by the story of Dracula…
The hike will take place over 4 days where among other places we will stop at the castle that inspired the story of Dracula (Bran’s Castle). We will staying in chalets or other accommodations in the area and we will visit other castles in the area. We will be hiking for 5-6 hours every day and ascending to upwards of 9,000ft above sea level. I have done 3-4 hr hikes in Kennesaw Mountain, about 20 minutes north of Atlanta, along trails they have up and around the mountain. I have also been relying on the treadmill doing hour-long walks at 10% incline or more. I sure hope this and my overall general fitness level help make this hike something less than a painful experience!
I don’t generally miss an opportunity to see a new place so I thought to myself that if I am going to Romania, I needed to do something in addition to Romania in this trip. In terms of Romania, I get to see Bucharest, Brasov and the Transylvanian Alps so I was leaning to go somewhere outside of Romania.
The Greek Isles definitely beckoned but the lack of direct flights to the islands (taking into account all the stuff I will be lugging around for the hike) made me -sadly- kill that option. A strong contender was neighboring Serbia. But as I looked at the map more, there was one obvious candidate destination that I may otherwise not get to… the ex-Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova. I hear it still feels somewhat Soviet but I have also heard great things about fortresses, monasteries and wineries so it makes sense for me to explore it. I decided to make it there before the hike.
Through a recommendation from someone in TripAdvisor, I contacted a local guide who will take me around for the 3 days I will be in Moldova to explore this -to me- mysterious country. The local guide recommended I see Romania’s cultural capital, Iasi (population ~350K, inhabited since 400BC!), very close to Moldova on the west and that he could pick me up there. So Iasi got added to the itinerary though I will spend less than a half a day there unfortunately.
Iasi (photo courtesy of: RomanianMonasteries.org)
Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, will be my base those three days. I have decided to stay at the Best Western Flowers which seemed well located and got good reviews in TripAdvisor (one of my preferred sources).
Map showing the areas I will explore on the three day visit
I am excited to get to explore one of the smallest and lesser known European countries and enjoy its charms before I do the hike.
I wanted to use frequent flyer miles to get to Bucharest but, as everyone has heard, airline miles keep losing value. I had hoped to make the trip business class as I never get to do that on international flights. However, what used to be a 90,000 mile business class seat can be now over 200,000 miles! Inflation of awards outpaces any normal inflation metric… Clearly a mental note has been made to earn points where possible outside of frequent flyer accounts (Marriott, for example, has a great and valuable rewards program).
Sure enough, I couldn’t get anything under 200,000 miles. I had more miles than that to use but I refused to spend that many miles. I tweeted in frustration, promising I would diversify my airline choices in the future. A direct message came in from the airline asking if there was anything they could do to help. I replied, rather skeptically, explaining further and adding “if you can get me there on business class for much less, I’d take it”. Long story short, that person contacted me 2 hrs later (after various exchanges clarifying date flexibility, etc.) with an itinerary that was 150,000 via Amsterdam (trans-Atlantic leg with KLM! but 8-hr layover…) BUT it could not get me out of Bucharest to the gateway city (Paris) – I’d be on my own for that. I was quite pleased. I realize 90,000 was a dream especially in peak summer season so I understood that I got as good a deal as possible. My itinerary though does require 2 stops going over and 2 coming back BUT on the return I have to overnight in Paris anyway so I will make it a 2 night/1 day visit (I lived in Paris for 6 months many years ago so getting to stop there is like going home for me).
Now, the only item left was getting to Moldova. Trains are a great way to see more of a country but I was trying to maximize time in Moldova and the train ride was not a short one. Since Iasi, Romania seemed worthseeing, I was going to fly there from Bucharest and then just return to Bucharest to join the hike group by flying out of Chisinau. I land in Bucharest from the US at around midnight on the night of the 15th of July and catch my flight to Iasi at 11AM the next day. Clearly I will not have time to unpack and repack for this 4 day trip so I will have to pack my bags in the US so it is a matter of leaving my hike luggage at the hotel in Bucharest and take one smaller bag for the Moldova trip. (I am scoring a room at the JW Marriott for practically nothing! I will stay there again the night I come back from Moldova.)
But heaven help me if the Romanian airline’s (TAROM) website wasn’t a royal pain the rear! After many attempts, I ended up just going to good ole Expedia to book my flight and end the non-sense. I hope the experience with TAROM is not a sign of things to come!
Sadly, I will only have one good day to see Bucharest so I will book some sort of tour to be efficient about seeing the key sights. I hate not getting to spend more time and get a feel for the city but checking Iasi and Moldova out seemed more off the beaten path and that will always trump other options!
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So with less than 2 weeks to go, I am slightly daunted by the logistics of packing up all the right things for a hike in the mountains: do I have all the things I need (they gave us a gear list but still trying to decide what to buy, what to borrow, and whether to buy cheap alternatives or the real things…), which bags are the ideal bags (my huge backpacker backpack, a duffel bag, etc. considering the multiple plane changes and the darn hiking poles), and how to strategically pack my bags.
However, any anxiety or eagerness to resolve all these pales in comparison with the excitement about the hike, the orphanage we are working with, and the sights and sounds I am about to experience in this corner of Eastern Europe!
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Photo Essay of the Center of Moldova’s Capital: Chisinau
